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Italian-born Zampatti opened her first fashion boutique in Sydney
in 1972. Her business has gone from strength to strength, and in
2009 she was appointed a Companion of the Order of Australia.
Why did you want to work in the fashion
industry? I loved designing and I felt I had
a capacity for designing simple, understated
and afordable high-quality clothes.
Do you remember your frst day on the job?
I got my frst position working as a PA for a
designer and manufacturer. I used to make
my own things, so he understood that I could
contribute to his design. I’d been trying to
get a job in the industry forever and it was
like being in heaven.
What signifcant changes have you seen
during your career? In the early stages,
fashion didn’t dominate society in the way it
does [now]. Today when we have fashion week,
everyone is interested in what’s happening.
Is that a good thing? It’s wonderful because
fashion is important. How you present
yourself is important, not only to others
but also to how you feel.
Has your role as a designer changed? Not
much. My role started with me working with
fabrics and creating shapes, then giving them
to my patern makers. Now my design input is
buying the sample fabrics, creating th
buying the sample fabrics, creating the
shapes and doing trials with my desig
shapes and doing trials with my design
team. They do a toile, I try it on and we
team. They do a toile, I try it on and we
make adjustments. I have learnt to tru
make adjustments. I have learnt to trust
my judgement. I know if it feels good,
my judgement. I know if it feels good, my
customers are going to enjoy wearing
customers are going to enjoy wearing it.
What are the main challenges facing
What are the main challenges facing
the fashion industry in Australia tod
the fashion industry in Australia today?
The size of the market is small and tha
The size of the market is small and that’s why
so many young designers are atempt
so many young designers are atempting to
break into other markets. The online is
break into other markets. The online issue,
which should be an opportunity not an
which should be an opportunity not an issue.
And not enough appreciation that fash
And not enough appreciation that fashion is
a business. Yo u may create beautiful t
a business. You may create beautiful things
but if you don’t think of it as a busines
but if you don’t think of it as a business, you
probably won’t run it as a business.
What infuences you? The biggest inf
What infuences you? The biggest infuence
would be haute couture, and it has alw
would be haute couture, and it has always
been so. Nowadays new fabrics excite
been so. Nowadays new fabrics excite me
and create ideas in my head.
Who do you infuence? Hopefully peo
Who do you infuence? Hopefully people
who understand that the reason for my
who understand that the reason for my
success is the fact we care about each
success is the fact we care about each and
every piece of clothing we produce.
CARLA ZAMPATTI
•
THE
DESIGNER
•
Photography:Corbis,GettyImages,StephenWard(Jac+Jack)
122 | virginaustralia
SEPTEMBER 2014
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